Debut
by Bookkbaby
Summary: YAOI LUCKY Pair, TykixLavi. It's Lady Road's debut party - a masquerade ball - and Lord Lavi is hoping to catch a glimpse of her uncle, but who is the man in the butterfly mask?


Warnings: YAOI, which means BOYS LOVING BOYS. If you dislike that, then the back button is easy enough to find. Please click that and leave. Maybe some OOC.

Disclaimer: I don't own these lovely characters, that honor belongs to Katsura Hoshino. (Though if Hoshino-sama ever has a sale, I call dibs on Tyki… what?) I don't own anything but a copy of the anime series and all volumes of the manga in English. Anything you don't recognize (like the plotline of 'Debut') does belong to me. Everything else… not so much. Please don't sue.

This hasn't been beta'd, so all mistakes are mine and mine alone, even more so than usual. My muse demanded a quick oneshot, though for those of you reading A Game of Poker, know that I will be updating very soon.

Debut

A redheaded young man leaned against the wall as he idly watched the dancing crowd, a silver and black mask covering the top half of his face. His outfit was a simple one; his thigh-length coat well fitted with real silver decorations along the front and arms. His pants were loose but tucked neatly into his knee-high boots that were tied tightly around his lower legs by black laces that were invisible against the leather. His single green eye watched the crowd with a mischievous gleam, his unruly red hair his most identifiable feature.

A glass of undrunk champagne was held lightly in his right hand, a perfect excuse not to dance. While a masquerade ball was meant for dancing, tonight he had attended in order to watch the people and record the information, as was his habit.

He had been especially excited about tonight, since tonight's party was guaranteed to be good. It was Road Camelot's debut party, the only surviving daughter of the Lord and Lady Camelot. The Lord and his Lady had been killed a few years ago in a tragic carriage accident.

Lavi didn't particularly care about Lady Road, or the fact that she was the hot debutante of the year. The Camelots, after all, owned a lot of land and the title of 'Lord Camelot' would go to Road's future husband. The redhead was much more interested in the current 'Lord Camelot', the previous lord's brother.

Lord Tyki Mikk was famous in his own right with lands only a bit smaller than the late Lord Cyril had possessed, but Lord Mikk was supposed to be strikingly handsome and apparently had a way with the ladies. He was the most eligible bachelor in all of England, since no woman yet had managed to snag him - or man, for that matter, though Lavi wasn't sure if the Lord was even interested in men.

He had come to see with his own eyes how the supposed 'most beautiful man on Earth' and 'God's gift to women' actually looked. Some women probably only saw his title (a Marquis, just one step below a Duke), his bloodline (Lavi had heard that the Mikk family could trace its lineage back to the royal family of Portugal before said country had become a republic), and his riches (the redhead didn't know exactly how much money the Mikks' had, but when Marquis Mikk gambled, it was said he gambled with enough money to buy a new manor). Lavi had enough women with daughters subtly hounding his grandfather, the Viscount Bookman, to marry his sole heir - Lavi - to their daughters, and his future title was two steps below Lord Mikk's.

Not that Gramps would marry him off so quickly. The redhead was only eighteen, after all, and while that was plenty old enough to be married with a child on the way, the Bookman clan had always been more focused on study than securing an heir to continue the line. The Viscount hadn't married until he had been twenty-five!

He pretended to sip his champagne, watching the dancers as the music changed from one waltz to another. Lady Road seemed to be having fun - she was the only one without a mask, so everyone could know who the star of the evening was. Privately, Lavi felt a bit sorry for her. Some of the men politeness dictated she dance with had to be older than her father before the man had died. Some were even old enough to be her grandfather, but like a true lady she had danced with them all. A lady couldn't refuse a dance unless she had a very good reason and never at their debut party. Why burn bridges so early on, after all?

Even though her smile seemed a bit more fixed when the aging dukes, ancient marquises, and other such old noblemen asked her to dance, she always looked like she was enjoying herself. Her gown was the color of cream, contrasting with her dark skin and her hair was braided into what seemed to be a crown with pearl hairpins holding it up. Her necklace was made of gold with a single large pearl hanging down by the low, fashionable cut of her bodice. The bodice itself seemed to be embroided, though with what image Lavi couldn't tell. He hadn't gotten close enough, nor did he wish to.

He had been standing by the wall for the majority of the evening, since his vantage point offered a perfect view of the dance floor. His eyes constantly roamed the area, from the tall windows made of real glass to the small group of musicians playing their instruments by the far wall to the huge, impressive staircase that led to the rest of the manor. Despite his constant searching, Lord Mikk had yet to appear.

It was his niece's debut party and the man had hosted it, but there had been no sight of the man himself. Lavi was starting to get more than a little frustrated and annoyed. Marquis Mikk probably wouldn't wear a mask either, since Lady Road hadn't and as the host, the Marquis deserved some attention too. Even if the man had worn a mask, there had been no fanfare announcing his descent from the main part of the house into the party in the large hall. Lord Mikk could certainly afford it.

He had half a mind just to locate his best friend - Allen Walker, from the Earldom Walker - and go. He had seen the boy talking (well, arguing) with a longhaired masked man earlier, though he hadn't stopped to inquire about the longhaired boy's name.

He sighed and moved away from the wall. It had already been four hours. He would simply have to find the Marquis another time and see for himself if the rumors that had so intrigued him had any merit. He turned to go, thoughts too occupied with his recent disappointment to notice the tall man walking towards him. The redhead bumped into the man and, knocked off balance, lost his grip on his still-full glass of champagne. He stumbled backwards, watching in shock as the glass upended itself on the man's expensive shirt before falling to the ground and shattering. The shorter man winced at the sound, glancing around briefly to see of anyone else had heard. Luckily, it seemed as if the sound had been covered by the noise of the party.

He glanced back towards the man he had just spilled his drink on, opening his mouth to apologize.

"I am-" he started, looking up at the man's black butterfly mask and into the most captivating pair of eyes he had ever seen in his life. They were a molten gold that seemed to darken just slightly as the man gazed back at him calmly, mouth in a neutral line. The redhead just stared, heart beating a touch faster as he stared into pools of gold confidence. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His voice seemed to be stuck.

"You are...?" the man prompted, bringing Lavi back to Earth with the lovely addition of a red flush spreading across his face.

"I apologize," he said quickly, embarrassed and staring at the ground. "I should have been watching where I was going." Hitting on an idea, he hastily fumbled in his pocket for the handkerchief Gramps always insisted he carry. He dug it out, thankful he had grabbed a clean one for the party instead of bringing along the same old, unused but dirty handkerchief he commonly carried to make Bookman happy. He looked back up, hesitantly offering it to the other man.

The taller of the pair smiled and Lavi almost melted. A white-gloved hand gently drew the piece of cloth from the redhead and the man began to dab at his shirt, where the champagne had spilled. Lavi could feel his embarrassment rise again, but he didn't look away. While those intoxicating eyes were focused on the man's (probably really expensive - Lavi recognized the cloth as silk, something merchants from the East demanded gold for and would take nothing less) shirt, the redhead could study him. The man had his long, soft looking hair tied back in a low ponytail tied at the base of his skull while two shorter locks framed his face. Lavi could tell the strands were naturally wavy, rather than falsely curled as was the fashion for many men nowadays. The man's skin was dark and the suit he wore evidently tailored for him - it draped perfectly over the man in such a way that his obviously sculpted body was emphasized.

Lavi tugged at his own clothes self consciously, running his hand over his hair to try and smooth it down.

The man straightened up, still holding the handkerchief. He smiled at Lavi again.

"I shall have this washed and return it to you, if you could tell me where I might have the servants deliver it?" he asked, voice deep and rich. The redhead almost didn't realize what he had been asked, more inclined to watch those perfectly formed lips move and enjoy the deep timbre of the man's voice rather than listen to what was being said. Still, a part of his brain that retained some intelligence prompted him to answer.

"The Viscount Bookman's estate," he replied, fighting to keep his voice even. He bowed slightly, then straightened. "Pleased to meet you. I am Lord Lavi."

"Lord Lavi," The tall man pocketed the damp handkerchief, smile only widening as the redhead flushed again at the sound of his name. "Perhaps as an apology for spilling your drink on me, would you consent to speak with me for a moment? I have engaged in some conversation with the other nobles here tonight, but I haven't yet spoken with you."

Fighting to keep his eyes up, Lavi nodded though his face still felt hot. Plenty of nobles who already had wives attended these sorts of parties for their sons to see whom they could match with or simply to talk and curry favor with other lords. Curiously, he glanced towards the man's left hand. He didn't seem to be wearing a ring, though it was almost impossible to tell with the glove in the way. When Lavi looked back up to the man's eyes, the taller of the pair seemed amused.

He motioned over to a nearby bench that was thankfully empty.

"Shall we sit?" the golden-eyed man asked. Lavi nodded, turning towards the bench and moving towards it. He was hyper aware of the rustle of cloth behind him, knowing the other man was walking for the same piece of furniture. They reached the bench and sat down quickly, the taller man sitting with perfect posture as he regarded Lavi evenly. The redhead did his best to sit perfectly straight, but the rules on such things were fairly lax at his home and he ended up leaning back slightly and resting against the bench.

"Forgive me for not asking earlier, but with whom am I speaking?" Lavi asked when they had settled. The man seemed to consider for a moment, then placed his hand on his heart and inclined his head in a slightly bow.

"I haven't introduced myself, have I? I am Lord... Tyrone Agradar." The man's tongue seemed to trip on the name, as if unused to speaking it. The smug smile the man gave Lavi afterward took the redhead's mind completely off the oddity. "Lord Tyrone is fine."

Lavi nodded and then, not sure where to look and not wishing to stare and be thought rude, he turned his attention to the dance floor. Lady Road was dancing with one of her younger would-be suitors, a man that looked to be in his mid-twenties.

He could feel the other Lord's eyes study him intently for a moment, then the pressure seemed to drop off. Moments later, the man spoke with something that sounded like disappointment.

"Ah, you have your eyes on Lady Road as well?" he asked, then added in a carefully neutral tone. "Do you find her looks or her status more enticing?"

Slightly surprised at his companion's question, Lavi turned back to face the man he was sitting with.

"Neither, actually," he replied honestly, mouth spitting out the truth before he could decide whether or not he wanted to be honest. He could see Lord Tyrone's eyes widen in surprise, but continued on. "I actually came to see her uncle."

"Lord Mikk?" The man frowned, puzzlement quickly replacing shock. He seemed almost concerned about something, though what the redhead couldn't guess. "I wasn't aware that the man had any appointments-"

"It wasn't anything official." Lavi interjected hurriedly, unable to stop himself from automatically correcting the other man. "I had heard some interesting... rumors about him and I wanted to see if they were true, that's all." He quickly turned back to the party, mentally kicking himself for his rudeness. "Forgive me. I seem to have interrupted."

Lord Tyrone chuckled.

"It's quite all right. What sort of rumors?"

"He's supposed to be incredibly handsome." Lavi replied baldly, then realized what he had said. He shook his head as he turned to look at the Lord next to him, seeing his companion's shocked stare.

"I have a... sister who my grandfather is looking to marry off." Lavi invented quickly. The taller man raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't aware the Viscount Bookman had any other grandchildren. You are supposedly his sole living descendant."

The redhead winced.

"So you caught me. I could be here to see if the rumors were true for a female friend of mine?" he offered weakly. The golden-eyed man chuckled softly.

"But you are not, are you?" he asked. Lavi shook his head slowly - and was it his imagination, or was Lord Tyrone moving closer? "Have you found him yet?"

The redhead found himself looking into the other's golden eyes.

"No," he admitted slowly. "- but I think even Marquis Mikk would have a hard time besting another man I met tonight." He flirted subtly with the Lord, wondering to himself when he had gotten so bold. He had only met the man ten minutes ago and he was already flirting?

Lord Tyrone smirked, eyes glimmering with knowledge.

"Really, now..." he said, tone one of interest. Lavi shifted, slightly uncomfortable in his seat, but not unpleasantly so. "Do tell me about this man who has managed to capture your interest. Is he wealthy? Powerful?"

Lavi shrugged, now certain that the man was leaning closer.

"I don't know anything but his name. His family name isn't on the register of the early noble families, so he may have only just become a lord. From the way he dresses, I think he's wealthy or has some very wealthy friends." Bookman had made Lavi memories the register when he had been eight.

"You're rather observant." Lord Tyrone noted casually, leaning back towards his seat. Oddly unhappy that the man was moving away, Lavi continued.

"Even if he wasn't, he has the type of body and enough confidence that people would notice him even if he were a common miner or a vagabond," he added quickly. The older man seemed to take interest again, but didn't move forward. A bit disappointed, Lavi turned back towards the party. What on Earth was he thinking? He was tripping over his tongue to compliment and flirt with a man he had only just met! Lord Tyrone might be the sort of man who took such flirtations seriously and would expect Lavi's 'company' in his chambers later. From the way the man's eyes had been on him since they met (not that he minded, but...), the tall man indeed seemed to be the type who took such things seriously.

The redhead stood, turning to bow slightly at the surprised Lord.

"Forgive me, but I overstepped. I should leave. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Lord Tyrone." Lavi said, then turned to walk away and lose himself in the dancing crowd when a hand caught his wrist. The redhead instantly stilled, but didn't look back.

"Won't you stay for a while longer? Surely you don't need to be home just yet." Lord Tyrone's voice was slightly husky, which confirmed that the man had taken him seriously. Damn. Gramps and Allen had always told him that his usual habit of light flirtation with almost every person he met was bound to get him in trouble one day, or at least in an embarrassing situation. The habit had finally caught up with him.

"I am sorry if I implied anything during our conversation," the younger lord replied, looking over his shoulder and attempting to smile politely. He was careful not to look directly at the other man's eyes, since they seemed to have a way of making him be honest when it would be more honorable to lie. "But I should be leaving now. The Viscount expects me home."

If Lord Tyrone was a minor lord, a simple baron, then hopefully the reminder of his grandfather's title would be enough to make the man desist. Lavi didn't actually need to leave, but something told him it would be very easy to make a decision he could later regret with the man sitting on the bench. Said man seemed further surprised by Lavi's response to his inquiry and then began to chuckle again. The shorter of the pair stared in puzzlement as his wrist was released.

"What is so funny?" he asked, flushing a bit with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"Nothing important." The man met his eyes as his chuckles subsided. "I don't intend anything dishonorable, if that's what has you worried, young lord. I simply hoped for some more intelligent conversation - most of the lords here are rather dull."

The redhead couldn't help but smile, moving back towards the bench and sitting down.

"I've noticed that too. Most have tutors come in and teach their sons and daughters but don't bother to learn any of it themselves." Lavi sighed. "My grandfather tells me that lords used to have to know history and sums and penmanship, but now it seems they all have vassals for that."

He smiled proudly at Lord Tyrone, who seemed to be listening intently.

"The Bookman estate is one of the few that still has their lord educated to handle running everything by himself."

"Indeed. Do you enjoy learning? I have a niece-" His eyes flickered to the dance floor for a moment, then back. "-but she hasn't taken very well to her lessons. I normally help her with her work, but I would prefer if she could be convinced to do it by herself."

"Educating a girl?" Lavi asked, faintly shocked. The man must be wealthy or have a friend who was a tutor, since girls were almost never educated beyond the skills they needed to know, which they could learn from their mothers - embroidering, hosting parties, how to properly present themselves at their debut, and other such things. The tall man inclined his head curiously.

"I know it's unusual, but I would like my niece to be able to hold her own in an intelligent conversation. I want to find her a husband who isn't expecting a simpering, empty-headed wife who will bow to his every whim." Lord Tyrone's face broke into a smile. "I think the future of the country lies in educating the women as well as the men. Is that so strange?"

The redhead found himself shaking his head empathetically.

"It's not strange at all! It makes no sense to educate only half of the people - do you also think the people not from noble families should be educated? My grandfather is always talking about spreading education more widely, since nobles can't always see what is best for the future and the commoners don't know how to express their ideas."

They launched into a conversation, briefly talking of ways to make education available to all in England before moving on to politics and from there to literature. The redhead could feel himself relaxing as the conversation carried on and the hour began to grow late. The party started breaking up, but neither noticed. Lord Tyrone apparently had a large library with many rare books at his estate, though Lavi wasn't sure how true that was. The Bookman manor boasted one of the largest libraries in England, though since the Bookman family wasn't as wealthy as the Mikk's, Tiedoll's, or the Camelot's the Bookman's library wasn't as extensive as his grandfather would like. Lord Tyrone and the redhead had read many of the same books and even launched into a brief debate about how one of them should have ended.

"'Romeo and Juliet' was supposed to be a tragedy, lovely." Lord Tyrone said. The younger lord wasn't sure when or how the man had come up with the pet name, but he didn't mind. He really didn't mind. "The image of two young lovers dying together at the end will probably persist in the minds of the people for a long time."

"I still say it makes no sense. Romeo should have tried to figure out if Juliet was really dead - it was simple misfortune all around. The deaths could have been prevented and they could have survived."

"That, I believe, is what makes it a tragedy."

Lavi opened his mouth to reply, but the golden eyed man turned to survey the small crowd remaining in the hall. Allen, Lavi noted, was nowhere to be seen and nor was the longhaired boy his friend had been talking with. Allen's hair was extremely distinctive, so even though no one had removed their masks it was obvious his friend had already left.

"Is it really so late?" Lord Tyrone seemed surprised, then turned back to Lavi with an apologetic look on his face. "Forgive me for keeping you - I believe you said earlier that the Viscount was expecting you?"

The redhead shook his head.

"I don't think Gramps will mind." he replied. The sound of footsteps alerted him to an approaching person and he turned towards the ballroom to see none other than Lady Road walking towards them.

Wait - she seemed to be headed for Lord Tyrone. What did such a high-ranking noble want with someone who was likely of low rank? The Agradar family wasn't in any noble register that he could remember. They had to have been ennobled recently.

"Did any of them meet your approval?" the Lady asked as she drew close, clearly addressing the question to the tall man sitting next to Lavi. The redhead looked between them, confused.

Lord Tyrone sighed.

"Really, Road, you have to learn to pick your moments better. I was having a rather enjoyable conversation." How could he address her so informally?

"So did anyone?" Lady Road's eyes turned towards the redhead. She suddenly smiled. "Since you like his conversation so much, I assume you approve of him? There was a rather charming white-haired boy here earlier, but I think Duke Tiedoll's third son has claimed him. Lord Yuu is rather possessive."

The 'white haired boy' had to be Allen. Was 'Yuu' the longhaired boy he had seen his friend talking to earlier? Had Allen really been talking to a duke's son? Third son or not, any child of a duke was practically royalty.

"I do approve of him," the golden eyed man replied easily, apparently oblivious to the redhead's confusion. "- but I have grown rather fond of him. We will have to throw another party before we can find someone for you."

Lavi looked from one to the other, flabbergasted. If he was hearing things properly, then it seemed like 'Tyrone Agradar' was really -

"Do you two know each other?" he asked, just to be sure. Both Lady Road and the man he had been conversing with for the past two hours turned to look at him. Road studied him for a moment, then turned a disapproving gaze on the tall man.

"Uncle Tyki, you have to stop playing these games," she scolded lightly, but her eyes danced with mirth. Dumbstruck, the redhead could do little more than stare at the man he had known as 'Lord Tyrone Agradar'.

Marquis Tyki Mikk sighed, reaching up to remove his butterfly mask.

"Really, Road, now you've gone and wasted a perfectly good deception. It's not like I wasn't planning on telling him eventually, but now was not the time." The nobleman turned to the stunned younger lord and inclined his head slightly. "Pardon my earlier rudeness. I am Marquis Tyki Mikk, the lord currently in charge of the Camelot estate as well as my own. I find it's easiest to get honest information from other people when they don't know with whom they are speaking."

Lavi opened his mouth to reply, but his voice caught in his throat as the man's hands came up to gently slip his mask over his head. The young lord allowed the motion, still too much in shock to do anything as Tyki Mikk set aside the mask and delicately gripped the shorter man's chin, staring into his eyes.

"You are even lovelier without the mask, Lavi."

The redhead could hear Road's long-suffering sigh for only a moment before the pounding of his heart and the rush of blood in his ears drowned her out. The marquis was leaning closer and the shorter of the pair tilted his head ever so slightly, then leaned forward to meet the man's lips with his own. He could feel soft pressure on his mouth, eyes sliding shut as lips like silk moved possessively against his own. The older nobleman's mouth opened and something slick slid across the redhead's lower lip. Half in surprise and half in desire, the younger lord let his mouth open under the marquis's insistent tongue and almost moaned as the wet muscle dove deeply inside. The older man's tongue swept briefly through, taking a taste before Tyki pulled away.

Lavi opened his eyes, not even realizing he had shut them. He knew his face was probably flushed red again, since bright red seemed to be its natural state for the evening.

Gold stared deeply into green.

"You are welcome to visit the Mikk manor or the Camelot estate any time. In fact, I insist." Tyki smiled. "Perhaps I could even return your handkerchief in person."

Lavi nodded, dazed. He licked his lips unconsciously, almost able to taste the other man's presence on his mouth. The marquis's eyes darkened as his gaze followed the motion.

"Of course, Lord Tyr- ah, Marquis Mikk," he replied, voice breathless as he stumbled over what form of address to use for the man. Tyki chuckled.

"Just 'Tyki' is fine. Would it be too soon to ask if you would consent to dine here tomorrow night?"

"I would love to!" the redhead burst out. Lady Road, who Lavi had all but forgotten about, laughed at his obvious eagerness. The younger lord's eyes darted to focus on her.

"I think I know what you see in him," she said to her uncle. "He's cute too."

The girl turned to Lavi.

"We'll expect you for dinner tomorrow night then. I'm sure it will be an entertaining evening!" With that, she turned towards the grand staircase and walked away, still laughing.

Almost hesitantly, the shorter man looked towards the older of the pair. The marquis stood and extended a hand towards the redhead, which Lavi accepted. With a gentle tug, he was lifted from the bench and pulled close to Tyki's body. The younger lord gasped lightly, staring at the older man's face and hyper aware of how close their lips were to touching again.

"I believe Road is right," Tyki murmured huskily against Lavi's lips. "Tomorrow should be very interesting."

As his lips were once again possessively claimed, Lavi couldn't help but agree.

The End.

A/N: Please let me know what you thought! Drop me a line!


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